Canadian Football League

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Damon Allen Ends Canadian Football League Career

Quarterback Damon Allen did the expected Wednesday, ending his Canadian Football League playing career after 23 seasons.

The 44-year-old walks away having amassed 72,381 passing yards and another 11,914 along the ground, both CFL records.

"The game of football has given me every emotion a person can feel. It has been a dream ride," said Allen, who sits second in Toronto Argonauts history in career passing yards (13,974), career attempts (1,713), completions (1,051) and career passing TDs (77).

"I have given football my mind, body and soul. When it is all said and done, I have met some incredible people. I want to thank the fans across the Canadian Football League for supporting me, the players in the CFL for challenging me to be the best, and the incredible coaches in our league that continue to teach the game."

It's believed Allen will remain with the Argos but not join the coaching staff.

He spent much of an injury-plagued 2007 season on the bench after rupturing tendons in his toe, while Michael Bishop emerged as the Toronto Argonauts' starting signal-caller.

A four-time Grey Cup champion, Allen slipped further down the quarterback depth chart in March when the Argos acquired reigning CFL outstanding player Kerry Joseph from the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Veteran Rocky Butler is also expected to compete for a roster spot at training camp, which opens this week.

Allen is one of just three quarterbacks in league history to run for 1,000 yards and pass for 4,000 yards in a single season (Tracy Ham, Joseph) - an achievement reached in 1991 with the Ottawa Rough Riders.

He also holds the following regular-season records:

- Passing touchdowns -394

- Pass attempts - 9,138

- Pass completions - 5,158

- Longest pass completion - 109 yards The California native's most productive season came in 2005 when he completed 352 of 549 passes for 5,082 yards and 33 touchdowns. He later became one of only five Argos to be named the CFL's outstanding player.

Allen entered the CFL as a free agent with Edmonton in 1985 and also spent time with Ottawa, Hamilton, Memphis and B.C., where he spent seven seasons before the Lions dealt him to Toronto in 2003.

Allen guided the Argos to a 27-19 Grey Cup victory the following season at Ottawa's Frank Clair Stadium and was named the game's MVP.

In the annual Labour Day Classic on Sept. 4, 2006, he surpassed Warren Moon's record of 70,553 career passing yards in a 40-6 victory over the hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats.